Asteroids
Asteroids
Found between Mars and Jupiter.
Asteroid Facts
Over 100,000 asteroids.
Vesta is the largest – 330 miles
in diameter.
Size range – 330 miles to about
100 yards.
Irregular-shaped rocky bodies.
Some asteroids have moon(s).
Asteroids and Meteorites.
How Are Asteroids, Comets and
Meteors Different?
Dawn’s Virtual Flight Over the
Asteroid Vesta.
Comets
Comets
Are made of ices and rocky
material.
Are called “dirty snowballs” or “icy
dirtballs.”
Comets are made up of three
parts.
Comets
Nucleus – Made of ices –
water, dry ice, ammonia as
well as dirt and rocks.
Comets
Coma- Vaporizing (turning
from solid to gas) gases
surrounding nucleus.
Comets
Tail – gas and dust pushed
away from comet by “solar
wind.” Always points away
from the Sun.
Comets
From where do they come?
• The Kuiper Belt
• The Oort Cloud
Comets
The Kuiper Belt is found beyond
the orbit of Neptune to 12 billion
miles from the Sun.
Comets
Oort Cloud is about one light year
from the Sun.
Comets
Kuiper Belt
Oort Cloud
What Are Comets?
Comets
Meteoroid, Meteor,
Meteorite
Meteoroid, Meteor,
Meteorite
These are made of rocks and dirt.
A meteoroid is when the rocks or
dirt are in outer space.
Meteoroid, Meteor,
Meteorite
A meteor is when the rock enters
the atmosphere.
Meteoroid, Meteor,
Meteorite
It is also known as a “shooting
star.”
Meteoroid, Meteor,
Meteorite
A meteorite is when the rock hits
the Earth.
Meteoroid, Meteor,
Meteorite
Meteoroids, Meteors, and
Meteorites.
Russian Meteor
Ten Biggest Meteor Strikes in
History
The
presentation
ends here.